


Because You Left

by Stacysmash



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Abandonment Issues, Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon Compliant, Fluff and Angst, Getting Together, Jealousy, Light Angst, M/M, Romance, Spoilers from manga, at least I don't think so, despite previous tags it's not that heavy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-08
Updated: 2018-12-08
Packaged: 2019-09-14 06:18:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16907718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stacysmash/pseuds/Stacysmash
Summary: A roar of laughter made him pause just inside the cafeteria doors, recognizing who it came from but surprised by the volume projected from it. His eyes scanned the crowded space until he spotted Daichi sitting across from Bokuto at a table, his face red as he wiped the tears from his eyes. He waved his hand in front of him, trying to get Bokuto to pause in his story but to no avail. Daichi was barely able to gulp a fresh breath before a fresh bout of giggles assaulted him.  Bokuto’s back was to Kuroo, but he could see him straighten and wiggle in his seat like a preening peacock.It was a scene that should have made him laugh, or rush forward to join in on the fun. Instead, Kuroo was filled with a sickening dread that felt like the devil himself was grabbing hold of his ankle and yanking him into hell.Kurodai Weekend Day 2: Jealousy





	Because You Left

**Author's Note:**

> This one is so crazy different from what I usually do, and I really wanted to do the Gods AU prompt instead b/c jealousy isn't something I dabble in much b/c it hurts my heart. But I thought of the idea for this and I had to get it out, and I cried, so I hope you all enjoy it regardless :)

Kuroo slipped his phone from his pocket as he wandered out of his last class for the day and snorted at the stream of texts in all caps from Bokuto. He typed out a quick message that he was out and would meet him and Daichi in the cafeteria and returned the phone to his pocket. A flutter of nerves bounced around in his stomach and tried to shove them away, filling his brain with thoughts of what to eat instead of how he should act around Daichi.

It was such a strange and unexpected development, his deepening feelings for his fellow teammate. When they had met the previous year as rivals, he had nothing but respect for Daichi and enjoyed the back and forth banter between them. He was so excited that they were on the same team with Bokuto and enjoyed every moment of riling up Daichi’s competitive side, which was really too easy.

It was fun being on the same team as Bokuto, though he could be a bit of a handful. Their new team wasn’t Fukurodani, and it was taking a while for everyone to keep up with his pace and keep up his spirits when he was down. That was when he relied on Daichi the most with his strength of will and soft, encouraging words he’d give Bokuto with a heavy smack on his back. It wasn’t as effective as Akaashi’s ability to snap him out of it, but it was enough to keep the idiot going at least.

He couldn’t say when it started, his skin burning whenever Daichi grazed it, his pulse racing when those brown eyes locked with his and turning into a puddle of goo when Daichi’s lips smiled back at him. It was gradual and by the time he finally realized, his attraction to Daichi was incurable.

The thought of confessing was terrifying, but Kuroo was determined to do it soon when they could find a minute alone. Even if Daichi didn’t share his feelings, Kuroo trusted in the other man’s maturity to not let it come between them. Sawamura Daichi would never treat anyone unkindly, not without good reason and least of all his good friends. It would be hard for a while, but better he finds out sooner rather than later if he even had a chance.

_Maybe I can ask him if he has time tomorrow and we can sneak away before Bokuto even wakes up. It’s Saturday, he won’t even be up before 11…_

A roar of laughter made him pause just inside the cafeteria doors, recognizing who it came from but surprised by the volume projected from it. His eyes scanned the crowded space until he spotted Daichi sitting across from Bokuto at a table, his face red as he wiped the tears from his eyes. He waved his hand in front of him, trying to get Bokuto to pause in his story but to no avail. Daichi was barely able to gulp a fresh breath before a fresh bout of giggles assaulted him.  Bokuto’s back was to Kuroo, but he could see him straighten and wiggle in his seat like a preening peacock.

It was a scene that should have made him laugh, or rush forward to join in on the fun. Instead, Kuroo was filled with a sickening dread that felt like the devil himself was grabbing hold of his ankle and yanking him into hell. He backed up slowly, so he didn’t attract Daichi’s eyes until he was in the hallway and then rushed toward the exit. The cheerful spring sun assaulted his eyes and suddenly he wanted to hide from it too. He wanted to escape the buzzing energy from the students around him, excited classes were over for the weekend, and he refused to look at the romantic cherry blossoms fluttering like pink clouds in the light breeze.

Kuroo paused only for a moment in the shade of the Engineering building to type out a quick text to Bokuto that he wouldn’t be joining them for lunch, adding a generic excuse at the end of it. He shoved the phone in his pocket without waiting for a reply and continued walking toward the edge of campus. There was no thought in his head to where his feet were leading him; wherever he was physically, mentally he was heading down a dark path to a part of his childhood he swore he had put behind him. At the end of the path was a door, identical to his bedroom door in the house he moved into when he was eight and lived in until last year when he graduated. There were many good memories beyond that door, but he knew when he walked through it this time, the vision he witnessed would be one he’s tried hard to forget.

 

_Tetsurou wiggled further back in the closet, staring at the strange room from the darkness and safety of the narrow space. It didn’t even look like a bedroom at that point, stacks of boxes strewn about like a rocky landscape he’d need to traverse. There were no posters of professional volleyball players hung on the walls, no colorful sheets on his bare mattress, and no frames of his family sitting on the dresser._

_Family… Scalding tears welled up in his eyes at the thought, and he buried his face in his knees and wrapped his arms around his legs. Logically he knew he was being a baby about the whole thing, there was still plenty of family in the house. He could hear his father’s voice echoing down the hall as he spoke on the phone to the HR Department at the new hospital he was working at. Downstairs, his grandparents were working together on making some lunch with the few dishes they had already unpacked. Despite living in a small apartment on the other end of Tokyo, they chose to leave it and move in with Tetsurou and his father to help support them during their difficult time._

_It was a small comfort, one Tetsurou appreciated, but it couldn’t fill the gap of someone else who should be there. He choked out a sob, half expecting a soft knock at the door and his mother’s teasing voice to come through it, informing him that the longer he cries, the less time he’d have to practice volleyball in the yard. That was always her way of comfort, never being the overly affectionate type, but it always helped Tetsurou in its subtle way. It taught him to pick himself up and move forward, but that was a lesson he’d have to remind himself from now on. There would be no more soft knocks and teasing voice. He was on his own._

_An actual knock on the door startled Tetsurou, and he let out a surprised squeak as he jerked his head up from his knees. The door opened a moment later to reveal his father, his face tightening as soon as he spotted Tetsurou hiding in the closet with tears streaming down his face._

_“Tekkun, are you alright?” He asked in his deep voice that always reminded Tetsurou of the distant rumblings of thunder, but always more soothing than scary. It was a voice fitting of his father’s impressive height, something he dreamed of achieving himself. Kuroo Masamune entered the room, closed it softly behind him, and crept toward Tetsurou until he towered in front of him in the closet doorway. Instead of grabbing Tetsurou and yanking him out of the closet, he sat down on the floor cross-legged and sighed as he propped his elbows on his knees._

_Tetsurou blinked at him and pressed his lips tight, hiccupping through the slowing tears. His father’s chin rested on his fist, a sympathetic smile on his lips as he waited. As a doctor, Masamune was used to approaching things with a cool-headed logic. And with his busy schedule, never had much time to spend with Tetsurou, least of all comfort him. They waited in silence, little shifting in their positions from the awkward tension, but eventually, his father’s calm presence gave Tetsurou the confidence to speak._

_“Why did she leave us?”_

_The smile slipped away from Masamune’s face and slowly he reached out his arms to beckon Tetsurou into them. He sniffed and shuffled forward into his father’s embrace, the long arms wrapping around him and pressing him into his chest._

_“She didn’t leave us, Tetsurou, she left me.”_

_“No, she left us. She hasn’t spoken to me since she ran away, and I feel like I’ll never see her again.”_

_Kuroo’s head slipped down as his father released a long breath, squeezing him a little tighter._

_“I’m sorry. I wish there was something I could say to make it better. You’re right, she left us, but it is my fault I think, and not yours.”_

_“Why would it be your fault, Dad?”_

_Masamune didn’t answer right away, stroking his long fingers through Tetsurou’s unruly bedhead._

_“Maybe if I hadn’t spent so much time at work or paid more attention to her when I came home. I’m not sure I’ll ever know the reason and perhaps it’s not entirely my fault. I think at the heart of it, your mother was lacking something with me and found it with someone else.”_

_Tetsurou flinched at the mention of the other man. He pictured him like some cartoonish villain, shifty-eyed with a long, curled mustache that hypnotized his mother to leave. It was the only thing that made sense in his young brain._

_“What did she find with him that she didn’t have with us?” He asked, feeling fresh tears blur his vision as he gazed up at his father. His expression wasn’t what Tetsurou expected. He thought his father would be just as broken as he was, but his face seemed more tired than heartbroken, his eyes more sympathetic than bloodshot from tears._

_“I spotted your mother at the hospital on my last day there, just before we moved away. She usually stayed in the Psych department, but that day was hovering by the vending machines in the surgical department. I was about to speak with her but saw that her new boyfriend was with her and I hid behind a pillar, so she didn’t spot me.” Masamune chuckled at his own embarrassment, but it brought a timid smile from Tetsurou as he gazed up at him. “There was something about the way her eyes danced when she looked at him, and then he said something, and she laughed. Not her usual laugh, but a real, hearty laugh that echoed across the entire floor. I’ve never made her laugh like that during our entire marriage._

_Your mother has found someone who makes her life better and brighter. The joy on her face when she’s with him… it would be selfish of me to keep her restrained with our marriage when she can be so happy with him. The only thing I regret is separating her from you.”_

_“You didn’t do that, she was already ignoring me before we left,” Tetsurou whimpered as he buried his face in his father’s shirt. He dug his little fingers into it and sobbed as his father rubbed his back. “I’m never gonna get married, it sucks.”_

_“Oh, Son, don’t say that. This doesn’t happen to everyone; many couples stick together for life.”_

_“But how can I keep it from happening again? How can I be sure I’m the person to make them happiest?”_

_He felt his father’s heavy breath puff out against his hair and his hands grip his shoulders to pull him back, so he could see his serious face._

_“There’s no way you can ever be sure, Tekkun, but I don’t want you to be afraid of it. Yes, it’s very painful when it happens, but it’s worth it for all the happy memories we’ve shared. And because I married your mother, I got you, the smartest little hooligan in Japan,” He chuckled, ruffling his hair playfully. Tetsurou laughed and wiped his face on his sleeve, sniffing up the remnants of his weeping._

_“Alright, I’ll think about it. Whoever she is, she better like volleyball.”_

_“Oh yes, don’t you dare go for anyone who doesn’t like volleyball. Now come on, lunch is almost ready and food in your belly always makes things better. I know what I’m talking about, I’m a doctor.”_

_Tetsurou snorted and gripped his hands into his father’s broad shoulders to help him up._

_“You always say that when you don’t want anyone to argue with you.”_

_“And usually it works.”_

_“Well, one day I’ll be a doctor, too! Then I can be right all the time.”_

_Masamune’s eyes crinkled as he laughed. He wrapped his long arm around Tetsurou’s neck and pretended to choke him while Tetsurou giggled and pretended to wheeze.  His father yanked him out of his room and down the stairs to the dining room, immersing him in warmth, delicious smells and a tight hug from his grandmother. He forced food down his throat as the adults talked around the table, but just like his father said, the more food in his belly, the better he felt._

 

Kuroo fluttered his eyes and looked around the train car as it pulled to a stop and other passengers stood up. The speaker announced the station, which was a surprise to Kuroo since he had been immersed in his daydreaming. It was odd his feet lead him here, but he knew there was a reason for it and he charged off the train car to face it.

He was a little lightheaded from the shock and not having any lunch, but he didn’t stop on his way down the busy sidewalk as he spotted the large building in the distance. It had been a while since he’d been there, but little threads of nostalgia kept him company on the way. He spied a food stand nearby that Kenma’s mother took them to once before she dropped Kuroo off at his father’s office. He chuckled, remembering her irritation at Kenma for not eating enough and Kuroo trying to steal his leftovers.

He couldn’t say that he wanted to go back to a simpler time in his life, but he did miss the innocence of those days. He had lost a large chunk of it when his mother left and even after all these years of moving forward and living the best life he could, he feels like all of a sudden, he’s taken several steps back. A part of him wanted to talk to Kenma about it, but while he was good at listening to Kuroo, he felt over his head with anything relating to relationships.

When he entered the hospital lobby, he paused just inside the doors and looked around. He used to run across the gleaming floors, his laughter bubbling up to the spacious ceiling above. A smile curled on his lips as a pair of siblings chased each other in circles as their mother kept a close eye on them, trying to get a room number for a patient at the reception desk.

Kuroo sighed and shuffled past them toward the elevators. One day he’d work in a hospital or doctor’s office, he wasn’t sure which path he’d take yet since he was just starting pre-med. He wondered if when that time came, and he wandered down the halls to see patients if he’d remember this very moment, seeking his father out for advice and a little comfort.

When he reached the department his father worked in, he had some difficulty with the nurses at the desk since they didn’t recognize him.

_Has it been so long since I’ve been here?_ Kuroo sighed, trying to think of some way to convince them he was Dr. Kuroo’s son. He had his father’s height, for sure, but his stupid face came directly from a woman he wished he couldn’t remember. To Kuroo’s relief, one of the older nurses came along and greeted him warmly, snapping at the younger orderlies for causing trouble for the doctor’s son. Kuroo consoled them and told them not to worry about it, easing the frantic looks on their faces.

He was led to his father’s office to wait for him since he was just finishing up with a patient and was once again left alone with his thoughts. He eyed the two chairs on the other side of his father’s desk but didn’t feel like sitting in one. The last thing he wanted to feel like was a patient awaiting terrible news about their health when he already felt miserable about his love life crumbling before his eyes.

He puffed a breath up to flick his hair off his eye and gazed around the room. Behind the desk on the wall was his father’s degrees and certificates in gleaming frames with several pieces of artwork created by Kuroo’s own hand when he was a child, situated in equally impressive frames. He chuckled and rolled his eyes; his father wasn’t easy to please, but he was quick to boast of any accomplishment of his.

Kuroo blinked when he noticed several pictures on the desk facing away from him and crept to the other side to see what they were. He beamed as his eyes scoured over his grandparents’ faces smiling back at him in the first picture, and beside it was one of all four of them as a family a couple years after the move when Kuroo was in middle school and had moved forward from the grief. Kuroo snickered as he spied a picture on the end of just him and Kenma, splattered with mud and a volleyball tucked under his arm. Kuroo’s face was beaming, his plump cheeks bright under the dirt. Kenma was wearing his most disgruntled face, his eyes pointed at Kuroo instead of the camera as if he was trying to murder him with his stare. He didn't remember that specific day, but there were many like it and he cherished every single one. Despite the look on Kenma’s face, he knew he treasured them too.

“Tekkun? I was surprised they told me you were here, are you alright?” His father asked, closing the door behind him with worry etched on his face.

“Dad stop calling me that, I’m not six,” Kuroo chuckled, straightening up and slipping around the desk to give his father a hug. “And I’m fine, well, sort of. I’m sorry for bothering you at work.”

Masamune hummed and pulled back from the embrace, giving Kuroo another calculating stare. “You’re not bothering me, I know coming here it must be something important.”

Kuroo winced and ran his fingers through his hair. “Yeah, something happened, a small thing that just brought back a lot of stuff I thought I had moved on from.”

Kuroo took a deep breath to go into it, but it was difficult to find the words. To release them in the comfortable space of his father’s office, he felt like it would be admitting defeat to a lifetime of hard work. His father waited for him to speak until he finally huffed out a gentle laugh and prodded his shoulder.

“Have you eaten yet? It’s actually my lunch break, how about I treat you?”

“Yeah, sure,” Kuroo answered quickly, his relief nearly making him dizzy. His father laughed and slipped off his stiff, white coat and grabbed a looser jacket from the hook on the wall. He had never been very talkative, always more of the listening type, but as he led the way to the cafe, he talked Kuroo’s ear off about things going on around the hospital and updates on his grandparents. It was soothing, listening to his father’s calm voice, and gradually he felt his confidence returning enough to release the dark thoughts warring inside of him. Especially after settling down in the cafe and inhaling the steaming food in front of him.

“What’s so funny?” His father asked when Kuroo chuckled after slurping up a mouthful of soba.

“I remember you telling me that having food in my belly always makes things better. As always, you were right.”

“Now don’t go thinking I’m some sort of god. I assure you there have been plenty of times I’ve been wrong,” His father said with a wink. “Are you ready to talk about it?”

“I really like somebody.”

“Oh?” His father asked, leaning forward with interest. “Tell me about her.”

“Him,” Kuroo corrected, pressing his lips tight as he waited for his father’s response. He had admitted to his father about his bisexuality a couple years before, so it wasn’t a grand revelation but still a difficult subject. His father sighed heavily and rested his chin on his palm.

“So, no grandchildren for me? Maybe one day you can adopt one with your partner. He is a nice young man I hope?”

“We’re not getting married!” Kuroo laughed. “I said I like him, but yes, he’s an amazing person,” He added, glancing out the window as his cheeks heated up.

“Hmm, sounds like you _really_ like him. So, what’s the problem? Need advice on asking him out?”

The snort Kuroo released was loud enough to draw several glances, and Kuroo hunched down with a sheepish smile.

“Nah, I don’t need that kind of advice. Honestly, I was going to ask him out today, but I was on my way to eat lunch with him and another friend when I spotted them in the cafeteria. It was very innocent, but he was laughing so hard he was crying because of something our other friend said. It just… brought back a lot of bad memories about mom.”

“Why?”

“Because of that thing you told me after she left. You said you spotted her laughing with her new lover and knew you could never make her laugh like that. That’s when you knew she found someone she really belonged with. I haven’t even asked Sawamura out and I feel like I already lost out to Bokuto.”

“Oh, Tekkun,” Masamune sighed, leaning back in his seat. His grey eyes soaked in his son across from him, and Kuroo felt a little pang of guilt making him relive those moments himself. “I thought I’ve told you many times not let what happened with your mother dictate your own love life. It’s destructive.”

“I know, and I haven’t yet! It’s just that I care more about Sawamura than I have any girl I’ve dated before, and if we date, I know I’ll fall for him so deeply that I wouldn’t recover easily if he left me for someone else.”

“It’s never easy to recover from losing someone you love. But I promise you, if it happens, the hurt would fade eventually. It helps to have your family there as support, and you have made many good friends that would be there for you. You’re smart, work hard, and love to learn, I know these things seem small compared to the person you love, but they can help you through tough times as a sort of constant.”

“Yeah, you’re right. I just feel so defeated and I haven’t even asked him out yet. Should I even bother?”

His father blinked in surprise and cocked his head as he considered the question. “Picture your life from now on if you don’t ask him. Wouldn’t you regret it? You’d still care for him, but you may have to suffer watching him move on and see other people when you could have done something about it. I think you really need to discuss this with Sawamura-kun. Just be honest and if you’re still too scared, ask him about his feelings for… Bokuto-kun, was it?”

“Yeah.”

“Hmm, I think I remember him, Fukurodani, right? Don’t worry, he’s a good-looking kid but he’s got nothing on you.”

“Ha! Thanks, Dad. You’re a little biased I think, but thanks.”

“While we’re on the subject though, what’s your game plan?”

“Game plan?”

“You know, are you going to show up with roses? You can do a more mixed bouquet if you think he’d prefer that.”

Kuroo nearly choked on his tea and set the glass down on the table before he could do more damage. “Uh, flowers are a little old fashioned I think.”

His father glowered at him and pointed his finger into Kuroo’s face. “Romance is never old fashioned.”

Kuroo chuckled as he leaned forward against the table, but they faded as he seriously considered what his father had said. “Hmm, I don’t think flowers are really the way to Sawamura’s heart, but I may have something he might find romantic.”

“Good, that’ll make it more personal. Ugh, I need to get back to the hospital, call me later when you get everything settled. And I want to meet this young man, soon.”

“Dad, we don’t even know if he’s going to go out with me yet.”

“Is he an idiot?”

“No.”

“Then it’ll be fine. Oh, shoot, there are some pamphlets at the hospital on safe sex, they’ve got some good ones for homosexuals too! You want to run back there and pick some up?”

Kuroo tipped his head back and cackled, forgetting the quiet environment of the cafe. “Nah, I’m good. I’ve got condoms and everything,” Kuroo snickered, wiping a tear from his eye. His father was watching him thoughtfully, his lips curved up in a warm smile.

“Good. No rush on that, of course. I hope you win his heart, Tekkun.”

“Thanks, Dad. Me too.”

 

After splitting off with his father, Kuroo wandered around the city for an hour or two before heading back to campus. He was determined to move forward and ask Daichi out after his conversation with his father, but the vision of Daichi laughing in the cafeteria haunted him. If he proceeded with a relationship with him, how could he be sure Daichi wouldn’t regret it eventually, deciding that he’d rather be with Bokuto, that he brought him more joy than Kuroo did.

The thought made Kuroo wished he had an empty closet to hide in, a place to release his tears where no one could see him. He hated the ugly feelings that stirred in him regarding Bokuto as well, a longtime friend and rival. What was it that he had that Kuroo didn’t? Was it his muscles? He certainly had a bulkier frame than Kuroo and they were about the same height. Perhaps he provoked Daichi to anger too many times, and he was already tired of Kuroo?

Kuroo paused on the sidewalk and groaned, rubbing his palms over his face. He felt ridiculous, descending into a self-conscious madness that was totally out of character for himself. If Daichi chose Bokuto, then he needed to support them both. It would take time, but he knew he could do it. His father was able to do it with his mother, something Kuroo could never understand when he was young. But he was an adult now, and it was time to really move forward, not just bury his problems.

He slid his hands down and blinked in surprise when he saw a myriad of colors shining from the shop window next to him. He laughed from the strange coincidence that he ended up in front of a flower shop, beckoning him to choose romance and run with it. His eyes scoured the window, passing over elegant roses and exotic lilies. Some bouquets had more of a wildflower look to it, which was nice, but nothing seemed like Daichi.

A mouth-watering scent lured Kuroo to turn his head away from the window display. Spotting an entirely different kind of shop down the sidewalk, his anxiety over the situation began melting away as his signature grin spread across his face.

“Bingo.”

With a bag of steaming hot food in his arms, Kuroo finally wandered back onto his campus. He took deep breaths to calm his nerves, there was no backing away by this point. Just like he believed that morning, he knew that even if Daichi refused him, he would still treat Kuroo kindly. They would find a way to make it work. Then he would be free from the stress and start the healing process. It would be a good thing… right?

He froze outside Daichi’s door, looking around in surprise. How had he gotten there so fast? He took another deep breath and licked his lips as he shuffled the bag in his arm and knocked lightly on the door. There was no noise on the other side of the door, so he knew Bokuto wasn’t in there at least. What if Daichi was in Bokuto’s room? Kuroo’s stomach squirmed at the thought and nearly backed away when he sensed a shift on the other side of the door.

“Who is it?” A soft voice asked, a voice that sounded like Daichi but at the same time seemed out of character for the confident wing spiker.

“Uh, it’s Kuroo. Sawamura, are you in there?”

“Are you alone?”

Kuroo whipped his head around; there were people in the hallway, but they were further down and not paying attention.

“Kind of? There are people further down—”

“Is Bokuto with you?”

“What? No.”

“You don’t see him?”

“No.”

Kuroo flinched when the door whipped open and an arm shot out to grab him and yank him inside. The world was a blur as he spun inside the room, barely able to keep hold of the food.

“What the hell?!” He squawked and turned toward Daichi as he shut the door behind them.

“I’m sorry, I had to be sure,” Daichi panted as he glued himself to the door as if he was trying to keep it shut. His appearance looked haggard and his eyes had a twitchy wildness to them.

“What happened to you?”

Daichi’s eyes fell to him then and slowly his body began to relax, eventually peeling himself from the door. “Where were you today? I… I’ve never been alone with Bokuto before and we spent _the entire day_ together. I’m so exhausted,” He groaned, plopping on his bed like a sack of potatoes. “We ate lunch after getting your text, then he wanted to check something out across campus, so I went with him. Then he dragged me back to practice volleyball, which shouldn’t have been bad, but he didn’t want to stop! He has so much energy, he hardly took a break! And he talks so much, and bounces everywhere, God, he’s like Hinata on steroids!”

“Sawamura?”

“Yeah?”

“Hungry?” He asked, holding up the bag of take-out. Daichi’s eyes widened, his lips parting with desire as he reached up with his grabby hands, but he still didn’t have the energy to sit up higher. Kuroo laughed and leaned forward, setting the bag in Daichi’s outstretched hands and allowed him to tear into the bag. He settled next to him on his bed, helping him remove each container and set it on the coffee table in front of them.

There was no talk between them for a while, no sound except Daichi’s moans of pleasure as he shoveled his favorite food into his mouth. Kuroo kept his lips pressed tight as he allowed him to enjoy it, no matter how much he wanted to tease the other man. So far, his seduction tactic was working and his jealousy over Bokuto’s ability to make Daichi laugh was completely faded away. There was obviously nothing between the two of them and he doubted there ever would be.

“So, what happened to you today? I missed you— I mean, I really could have used you as a buffer, you know. You have a better way with Bokuto than I do,” Daichi said, his words rushing to cover up his slip as his cheeks blossomed pink.

“I’m sorry, um, so it’s been a weird day. Something happened that stirred up some old feelings I had thought were buried and I kind of had to deal with it.”

“Oh? What kind of feelings, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“Have I ever mentioned my crippling abandonment issues because of my Mom leaving us when I was eight?”

“No, you haven’t,” Daichi said softly, adjusting his seat on the bed to face Kuroo. Their eyes met, and Kuroo nearly lost his nerve as he sank into Daichi’s orbs of warm chocolate. They were full of compassion even though he hadn’t even heard the story. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“Depends, you wanna hear it?”

“Yeah, I do. It sounds like it’s an important part of you, so I can’t help but be curious.”

Kuroo’s cheeks warmed at Daichi’s honesty and the fact he wanted to know more about him. Before he lost his nerve, he tore his gaze away and closed his eyes, tipping his head back against the wall. He took Daichi through the whole story, about his Mom leaving them and how he hasn’t seen her since, moving to Tokyo and suffering the loneliness from his father’s busy schedule. Saying the words out loud, it felt like he was talking about someone else. Some lonely boy in a tale where something extraordinary happened to him and he continued on with his adventures. Though his life was hardly extraordinary, it was what he needed, slowly opening up through Kenma and his family, joining a volleyball team and making new friends in the neighborhood. Even just talking about it, he felt a strange peace come over him. It was like speaking it was releasing him from the burden of it and feeling Daichi’s body shift closer to him replaced the bitter memories with a soothing excitement for the future.

At last, he opened his eyes and turned his head, nearly touching noses with Daichi. The other man flushed and eased back to a more appropriate distance, though still closer than two friends would usually sit. His dark eyes drifted down, following the line of Kuroo’s body until they landed on his hand resting next to them. Kuroo held his breath as his pulse raced, feeling Daichi’s rough fingertips sliding against his palm until their hands were pressed together.

“I’m sorry, Kuroo,” Daichi said finally, giving his hand a light squeeze. “I can’t even imagine how terrible it's been for you, but I’m glad you told me. What brought this on so suddenly? Did something remind you of her?”

Daichi’s gaze returned to his at the question, and Kuroo’s racing heart began to throb like a timpani drum being played by a chimpanzee. He winced, feeling his hand sweating against Daichi’s and thought about pulling it away to wipe it on his jeans. But that meant unlocking hands with Daichi and he wasn’t sure if he would ever have that chance again.

He had been certain he was ready to admit his feelings, but now that he was there it felt like he was about to jump off a cliff without any bungee cord or parachute to keep him safe. His breaths came out ragged and he was about to pull away in a panic when Daichi’s thumb began massaging circles into the back of his hand.

_Sawamura’s not my mom… he wouldn’t leave me like that…_

“I guess the whole thing started this afternoon when I stopped in the cafeteria to meet you two for lunch.”  
Daichi blinked in surprise and furrowed his brow, his gaze wandering off as his memory retreated to that afternoon. “But you texted Bo that something came up. You showed up?”

“Yeah, see, the truth is I was planning on eating lunch with you two but eventually I wanted to get you alone… so I could ask you out. But then I saw you laughing at something Bokuto said and I panicked,” He tacked on before Daichi could sort out what he had said about asking him out. By the widening of his eyes, he knew the comment hadn’t slipped past him.

“You were going to ask me out?” He asked, a smile tugging at the edges of his lips. It gave Kuroo even more courage, but before he could respond, the smile slipped away in place of a frown. “You _were_ going to ask me out, but not anymore?”

“No, I am! I will, but shit, it was supposed to come out better than this,” Kuroo sighed, running his free hand through his messy hair.

“So, you saw me laughing with Bokuto, why would that… Oh. Was it about what your father said? About your mother laughing with her lover?”

“Yeah, basically. I saw it almost like a sign that you would be happier with Bokuto rather than me, and even if we did date you would eventually leave me for him.”

He wasn’t sure what he was expecting, perhaps Daichi to console him and say that wouldn’t happen or perhaps that he was right, but he definitely didn’t expect him to burst out laughing. Kuroo stared at the other man, unsure of what to feel at that point but couldn’t help admiring the dimples appearing in Daichi’s cheeks and the crinkle at the corners of his eyes.

_Well, at least I can make him laugh._

“Kuroo… are you serious? Leave you for Bokuto? Like hell, I’ve been trying to get away from him all day!” He said between giggles, gulping down air to calm himself down. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be laughing when the whole situation is more serious than that. It’s just—” He paused and leaned his head back against the wall, turning it so he could bathe Kuroo in the warmth of his smile, “I don’t think this is about people being with the person who makes them laugh the hardest. I mean, Bokuto was telling me that story about the whipped cream during the Fukurodani training camp, who could not laugh at that story?!”

“Oh shit, that is a good one.”

“See? I think it’s deeper than that, like who complements you as a person and balances your personality. I think you have to be the right fit, and as much as I despise your mother for leaving you and your family, I think she simply found a person who was her perfect fit. And… if I may be so bold, I think you and I are a damn good fit. So, do you want to ask me out, or would you feel better if I did it to take the pressure off? I don’t mind, I’m getting a little impatient.”

“Oh, are you?” Kuroo purred, his grin stretched wide as he shuffled to his side to face Daichi full on. “I didn’t mean to keep you waiting. So, will you go out with me, Sawamura?”

Daichi bit his lip as his smile stretched wider, a vision Kuroo could stare at all day. He squeezed Kuroo’s hand again and moved to his side as well, narrowing the gap between them as he tilted his head up toward Kuroo’s.

“Yeah, I’d love to. Honestly, you had me hooked when you brought my favorite food.”

“Yes! See, I knew that was a better idea than flowers.”

“You were going to bring me flowers?”

“My dad thought it was a good idea.”’

“Your dad knows about this?!”

“Well, yeah, after I ditched you guys for lunch, I just kind of ended up at my dad’s office. We talked it over and he told me I needed to stop being afraid to love someone else. Really, I didn’t even think I still had this issue until today. I think it’s because I’ve never been so scared of losing someone like I am you.”

Silence fell between them, letting the depth of his last statement soak into Daichi. Kuroo was always good at reading people, something he was thankful for at the moment. Daichi’s lips were pinched but curled up at the edges. That with his brightened cheeks told him that he was happy Kuroo felt so much for him. Then his lips relaxed and parted, a tongue slipping out to wet them and suddenly the room felt swelteringly hot. Daichi’s hand came up to stroke down Kuroo’s face, easing it lower as Daichi leaned up.

It was Kuroo’s moment to finally be cool, giving Daichi his most smoldering look and taking control of the kiss like a pro. Instead, he giggled like a little girl and pressed his smiling lips against Daichi’s with glee, wiggling closer and throwing his long leg over top Daichi’s. He felt the huff of a laugh billow across his face, but Daichi didn’t seem to find Kuroo’s childish excitement repulsive as he pressed deeper into the kiss, slipping his hand into Kuroo’s hair and gripping into it.

A pounding knock on the door startled them, causing them to break apart and Daichi to jerk his head toward it in alarm.

“Sawamura! You in there?” Bokuto’s husky voice barked through the door, and Kuroo could feel Daichi’s stress returning as he clung to Kuroo and buried his face in his shoulder.

“Shh, don’t say anything, maybe he’ll go away,” He whispered.

“Come on! I heard you talking to someone, is that Kuroo, too? I thought we could all do something, it’s Friday! Karaoke, karaoke…” He began to chant as Daichi whimpered into Kuroo’s shirt.

“It’s alright, Love. I got this,” Kuroo whispered, pulling Daichi back and planting a kiss against his forehead.

“What are you—” Daichi began and froze as Kuroo stood up from the bed and peeled his shirt off. His grin would have made the devil blush and with a wink, he flicked his shirt into Daichi’s face.

“Relax, I can handle him.”

Kuroo pranced across the room and flung the door open just enough that Bokuto could see only him. The owlish wing spiker jumped at the abrupt movement and his golden eyes widened dramatically when he saw Kuroo leaning in the doorway with no shirt on.

“Whoa, dude! What are you doing in there?!” He said with a mischievous grin, wiggling his eyebrows for effect.

“I think that should be obvious. Think you could let Sawamura and I have a little private time tonight? We can do something fun tomorrow!”

“Sure! That sounds great. Have fun!” He laughed and ran down the hallway, already shouting toward one of their senpais he had spotted near the stairs. Kuroo shut the door and spun to face Daichi, a proud smile on his face. Daichi looked torn between relief and being unimpressed, but the latter feeling faded as his gaze trickled down Kuroo’s long, naked torso.

“Thanks for that. Now, where were we?” He asked, leaning back on his bed and propping himself up on his elbows. The invitation was clear, and Kuroo accepted it without hesitation, slipping on top of him like a panther pouncing on a delicate deer. Daichi was hardly delicate, obvious to Kuroo as he spread his hands across his muscular back and pressed his chest against Daichi’s ampler one.

“Right here?” Kuroo purred against Daichi’s lips. For all his worries that had plagued him that day, he finally felt a sense of peace as he pinned Daichi down on his bed and felt rough fingertips rake across his back. It felt natural the way their bodies slotted together, heat passing through their skin the more passionate their kissing became.

_A perfect fit, huh? Looks like I’ve got nothing to worry about_ , Kuroo thought, smiling against Daichi’s lips. _Guess Dad was right about everything… bastard._  

 


End file.
